It’s judgement day tomorrow. At around 10:30am, the High Court is expected to hand down the final verdict in The Australian’s long running Freedom of Information battle with the Government.

FOI Editor Michael McKinnon has been confronting what former editor Frank Devine calls “The Curse of Sir Humphrey“. He has fought through the ATT, the Federal Court, sought leave to appeal to the High Court then taken the fight all the way to the top.

Ironically, the battles have constrained his reporting. But make no mistake, this is a big one. It’s big for the future of media in the country, it’s big for the future of accountability – and it’s big for the future of Peter Costello.

It’s the Treasurer who’s blocked the release of the material McKinnon has been chasing – s-xy stuff on bracket creep, a flat tax, IR reforms, Reserve Bank minutes and first home owners’ assistance.

He’s already looked petulant on the issue. If the Court rules McKinnon’s way, his judgement will be open to question. If…

It’s no exaggeration to say that tomorrow’s decision will be vital to the future of democracy in this country. There are basic accountability issues. FOI is crucial to understanding the decision-making of governments.

Tomorrow’s decision will have a major impact on how we hold governments accountable – not just through FOI procedures, but also through the media. That’s why journos are keeping a very close eye on it. It’s why outlets like the Canberra Times and The 7:30 Report have covered the yarn and why The Sydney Morning Herald now has its own FOI editor – complete with blog.

Media companies exist to make profits. They do that with content. The future of quality journalism, of investigative journalism, is at stake here.

People like McKinnon cost money. They don’t have a piece every day. Their work takes time and money. They exist to deliver the really big stories that turn a quid for their bosses. FOI helps them bring home the yarns. If they can’t deliver, then they’re a drain on their bosses. The editors and the bean counters might as well fill up the paper with stuff from the web on Ashlee Simpson.

FOI expert Rick Snell from the University of Tasmania Law School says this one isn’t going to be easy to predict. But this is what’s riding on it.